<gallery> <image>https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NotAnother-NZ/na13-discover-different-assets/main/webp/kaikurao-1318.webp</image> </gallery> <gap-large/> <paragraph> Kaikōura is where the ocean sets the pace — for the tides, the wildlife, the food, and often your entire day. Everything here revolves around that deep trench just offshore, and the abundance it brings to the surface. </paragraph> <paragraph> Start at the <bold>Kaikōura Peninsula Walkway</bold>, where seals sprawl and seabirds wheel overhead. You might spot a pod of dusky dolphins or a sperm whale breaching — no binoculars required. </paragraph> <paragraph> Then eat. The seafood here isn’t just “locally sourced” — it’s sourced by locals, that morning. Grab crayfish from a roadside caravan, blue cod from an oceanview pub , or join a coastal foraging walk with someone who knows what to look for. </paragraph> <paragraph> And if you’ve got time, stay the night. There’s something about falling asleep to the sound of the waves crashing on a pebbled shore that makes you forget what you came here to escape. </paragraph> <gap-large/> <list> <item key="Location">Kaikōura</item> <item key="Itinerary">Recommended 2–3 Days</item> <item key="Distance">2.5 hrs from CHC Airport</item> <item key="Hours">Always Open</item> <item key="Price">Free (Nature Access)</item> </list>